Russia says Iran's first nuclear plant operational by the end of 2008

"Russia is seriously committed to completing and running Bushehr power plant in the shortest possible time," Iran's PressTV quoted Alexander Sadovnikov as saying.Â

Russia began the delivery of 82 tons of nuclear fuel to Bushehr in late 2007, giving rise to speculation that the Iranian power plant would become operational earlier in 2008.

According to the Russian envoy, the delays have been caused by "sanctions imposed by Western powers".

The United Nations Security Council - under U.S. pressure - has imposed three rounds of sanctions against Iran.

The U.S., Israel and their European allies accuse Iran, a signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), of pursuing a military nuclear program.

The Vienna-based U.N. nuclear watchdog continues to conduct snap inspections of Iranian nuclear sites and has reported that all "declared nuclear material in Iran has been accounted for, and therefore such material is not diverted to prohibited activities."

Iran says it plans to construct additional nuclear power plants as its growing population suffers from electricity shortage.

TELECOMS SATELLITE

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Saturday Iran plans to launch a telecommunications satellite, using missile technology the West fears is being developed to fire nuclear warheads.

Iran said last Sunday it had put a dummy satellite into orbit on a domestically made rocket for the first time, although U.S. officials said the attempted launch was a failure.

"Today, the Iranian nation has obtained the technology to produce different kinds of satellites and with God's help it will launch its first telecommunications ... satellite into space," Ahmadinejad told a rally.

He did not give a timetable in the remarks carried by state TV. Iran's top aerospace official said on Thursday the country aimed to send a manned rocket into space in the next 10 years.

"Our nation has a modern missile that can launch the second stage missile 250 km (150 miles) into space. The second stage is a smaller missile carrying the satellite which has very complex technical equipment," the president said.

The long-range ballistic technology used to put satellites into space can also be used for launching weapons.

The West, which accuses Iran of seeking to build a nuclear bomb, believes Tehran is seeking to develop more advanced missile technology so it can launch atomic warheads. Iran denies any such intention and says its nuclear program is peaceful.